The engine enclosure doors on industrial vehicles such as those used in earth moving, construction, agriculture, material handling, mining applications, and the like are typically metal or a combination of a composite surrounded by a metal frame in order to meet stress and durability requirements. In addition, such engine enclosure doors typically open similar to a car door, horizontally. This horizontal opening limits the angle of access to the engine and other components within the enclosure. Further, when vehicles having such doors are parked for maintenance, the vehicles must be parked far enough away from each other so that the open engine enclosure doors do not interfere with each other. This is undesirable because of the large size of these machines relative to the space in the facility in which the machine is to be serviced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,264 (“Benning et al.”) issued Feb. 21, 1989 is an example of prior art related to engine doors. FIG. 1 of Benning et al. illustrates an engine hood designed to be opened vertically. The hood pivots on a forked bearing and the angle of opening is limited by a guide and cam follower attached to hood. To gain full access to the top of the engine, the hood must be removed. A better design is needed that provides a relatively light weight door that provides unobstructed access to the side of a vehicle engine without having to remove the door from the enclosure.